Nebulizer



s. N. BLACKMAN' ET AL 'NEBULIZER.

Filed May 'i 1948 INVENTQRS 5 YMouR N. Baqcmmu 7 7mg: Poss/vellumTTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1949 NEBUIJZER Seymour N. Blackman, Teaneck,and Harold Rosenblum, Rahway, N. J., assignors to Premo PharmaceuticalLaboratories, Inc., South Hackensack, N. J a corporation of New York 4Application May 7, 1948, Serial No. 25,574

This invention relates to nebulizers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a nebulizer for accuratelydispensing, in spray form, small prescribed dosages of liquid drugs.

It is another object of the invention to provide a nebulizer forhandling small amounts of liquids and which is adapted to vaporizesubstantially all the liquid placed therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a nebulizer whichcreates an extremely fine mist.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a nebulizer whichcan be mainipulated easily to apply to the respiratory tract either amist or a slight negative pressure, whereby a patient alternately canspray said tract and drain the nasal cavities.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 1- is a front view of a nebulizer constructed in accordance withthe invention, portions thereof being broken away to better illustratedetails of the internal construction;

Fig. 2 is a partially cut away side view of the nebulizer; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 3--3 of Fig. 1, and shows the construction of the portionof the nebulizer which enables a spray and a negative pressurealternately to be obtained; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and shows the construction of the portionof the nebulizer which enables the nebulizer to use up substantially allthe liquid placed therein and obtain a very fine mist.

Inhalation of drugs, as aerosols, i. e. in mist 11 Claims. (Cl. 128-194)form prepared by room atomizers and nasal venous injection, so fast isthe absorption. This type of therapy has been found to be highlyeffective where potent drugs like penicillin, streptomycin, bactricinand the andrenergic drugs, such for example as epinephrine are appliedlocally at the site of an infection. Inhalation therapy using penicillinas an aerosol is useful in cases of broncho pulmonary infections causedby penicillin sensitive organisms. Typical diseases which can be treatedin such manner are bronchial asthma, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, lungabscess, secondary infections associated with pulmonary fibrosis, andemphysema. However, these drugs are so powerful in their effect, thatthe amount given must be carefully controlled. If drugs of this natureare applied with conventional nebulizers or room atomizers, the quantitygiven cannot be regulated with the desired degree of accuracy. Moreover,a conventional hand nebulizer isnot able to produce a small enoughparticle size to obtain the requisite rapid absorption.

, Pursuant to the present invention, an accurate dosage is obtained byso constructing the nebulizer that it is able to use up substantiallyall of the drug solution placed in the liquid reservoir. In general,this phase of the invention is accomplished by employing capillary tubesas the pickup tubes for transferring liquid from the reservoir to thezone of nebulization and having the bottom of the reservoir flat andhorizontal beneath the lower ends of the pickup tubes. Capillary as usedherein denotes a tube of such tiny dimensions that if verticallydisposed with its.

lower end in contact with a liquid, the liquid will rise therein. Thelower ends of the pickup tube tubes cannot be brought too close to thebottom the liquid drug placed in the reservoir, and it 7 was this factorthat made nebulizers unable to apply an accurate dose without wastage.

Accordingly, hereto- The instant nebulizer overcomes this defect byhaving the lower ends of the capillary pickup tubes disposed at an angleto the flat horizontal bottom of the reservoir and by placing the lowerends of the tubes as close as possible to the bottom of the reservoir oreven touching the same. With this arrangement, the lower ends of thetube can be brought extremely close to the bottom of the reservoirwithout impeding flow of liquid into the tube. Moreover, since the tubesare capillary, aslong as liquid touches any portion of the inclinedbottom openings, the liquid will be drawn up into the tube by capillaryaction. It will be observed that inclining the bottom openings of thetubes will not prevent liquid from rising in the tubes when the liquidlevel is below the tops of the openings as it would if the tubes werenot capillary, inasmuch as introduction of liquid into the tubes is notdependent upon negative pressure in the tubes.

The requisite fine particle sizes are obtained in accordance with thepresent invention by making the tips of the pickup tubes of capillarysize, by disposing said tips to overlie the air blast orifice ratherthan be laterally offset therefrom, by locating said tips ondiametrically opposite sides of the air blast orifice, by orienting saidtips so that they direct the liquid at an acute angle to the directionof fiow of the air blast (the term acute as used herein denotes not inexcess of 60), and by "having the planes of the openings in said tips atan obtuse angle to the direction of flow of the air blast. It has beenfound that this arrangement causes the initial nebulization to result invery fine particles, and subsequently when these particles strike oneanother, an even finer nebulization is obtained. In practice, theparticle size has been determined to range from 0.5 to 2.0 microns, thisbeing much smaller than the particle size heretofore obtained in anyhand nebulizer.

The feature of the invention pertaining to alternately securing a mistand negative pressure is obtained by means of an aspirator in which acurrent of air is arranged to entrain air from a passageway leading tothe nebulizing air blast nozzle. The aspirator is connected to theatmosphere by a normally open tube. When the tube is blocked, the airemerging from the aspirator under pressure is directed to the nebulizingnozzle to effect nebulization and when the tube is open the aspiratorwill create a negative pressure in the nebulizing nozzle, so that simplyby blocking and unblocking the tube, nebulization and negative pressurealternately may be obtained.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral denotes anebulizer embodying the invention. The principal parts of said nebulizerpreferably are made of glass in order not to affect the drugs which areemployed therein and in order that its state of cleanliness readily maybe ascertained. It will be understood, however, that, if desired, othermaterials which do not contaminate the drugs. and which can besterilized also can be employed. The nebulizer includes a cloud chamberI2 having a discharge passageway M which leads to a mucous chamber [6.The discharge passageway leaves the cloud chamber vertically but itsexit is curved over, as best shown in Fig. 2. The mucous chamber.includes a portion well below the level of the exit of the dischargepassageway [4 in order to detain mucous drained into the nebulizerduring operation of the device. The mucous chamber has two short exittubes l8 which are connected by elastomeric sleeves 20 to nose pieces 22of conventional construction.

The lower end of the cloud chamber l2 communicates with a nebulizingchamber 24. This latter chamber is provided with a side opening 26normally closed by a rubber plug 28. The bottom wall 30 of the chamberis fiat and horizontal as is shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. Said bottomwall has a central opening 32 from which a vertical tube 34 extendsupwardly, said tube terminating in a blast nozzle 36. The lower portionof the nebulizing chamber constitutes a reservoir 38 for the liquid tobe nebulized.

Two pickup tubes 40, 42 are provided, these tubes being disposed ondiametrically opposite sides of the blast tube 34 and being permanentlysecured thereby by glass arms 44, 46 fused to the tubes; Said pickuptubes run in a generally vertical direction. Their lower ends, however,may be inclined slightly toward the blast tube. The openings in thebottoms of the pickup tubes have their mouths disposed in planes at anangle to the fiat horizontal bottom 30 of the reservoir for the fluid tobe nebulized. Moreover, the lowermost points of the bottoms of thesetubes are placed very ,close to the bottom of the reservoir, andpreferably said lowermost points contact the. bottom of the reservoir,although this is not necessary. The pickup tubes are. of capillarydimensions although for the purpose of illustration,

the diameters of the tubes are somewhat enlarged in the drawings.

The upper endsof the pickup tubes are inclined toward the axis of theblast tube 34 at an acute angle to the direction of flow of an airstream issuing therefrom, as is best illustrated in Fig. 4'. The tips ofsaid pickup tubes extend. well into.

the blast stream 48 (indicated by the fine lines.

issuing from the blast nozzle), and overlie the blast orifice so thatthe tips of the tubes are disposed very close to one another, althoughon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the blast tube. It will benoted that the tips of the pickup tubes are of even smaller diameterthan.

the balance of said tubeswhereby to provide only a tiny exposed areatothe nebulizing action of the air blast, such small areabeing a factorin reducing the particle size of the nebulized. cloud. More-- incommunication with an elongated casing 52 inwhich an aspirator '54 is.disposed. Said aspirator includes an inner tube 56 centrally locatedwithin the casing 52 and having its open entry end 58 extending throughthe casing to detachably receive a rubber squeeze bulb 60. This bulb-isof the conventional type which when collapsed will force air through itsmouth 62 and when allowed.

to resume its normal shape will suck air in through a one-way valve 64.The tip of the inner tube 56 is of reduced diameter and is orientedtodirect air issuing. therefrom through a constricted throat 66 in thecasing 52. The casing opens to the atmosphere at a mouth 68.

It will be appreciated that when the bulb is squeezed a current of airwill issue from the inner tube 56 and-,if themouth 68 not blocked, saidair willfiow. at high speed through the throat 66 and entrain air fromthe tube 50. This, will create. a negative pressure (suction) in saidtube which will be communicatedto the cloud chamber l2 through the blasttube 34. Such negative pressure is transmitted to the nose pieces 22,whereby, when the bulb 60 is squeezed with the mouth 68 unblocked andthe nose pieces in the nostrils of a patient, a negative pressure willbe created in the nasal cavities which will tend to drain mucoustherefrom into the mucous chamber I6.

If with the mouth 68 blocked, as by placing the palm of a handthereover, the tube 60 is squeezed, air issuing from the inner tube '56will pass through the tube 50 and up into the blast tube 34 emergingfrom the nozzle 36 as an air blast which will nebulize liquid in thereservoir 38. The nebulized cloud will pass up through the dischargetube l4 and mucous chamber I6 into the nose pieces.

To place fluid in the reservoid 38, the plug 28 is removed and therequisite materials inserted therethrough. By way of example, there maybe disposed in said reservoir through the opening 26, a quickly solubletablet whose active material is penicillin. After said tablet has beenplaced in the reservoir, a few drops, e. g. /2 cc. of water is led intothe reservoir through the opening 26. The penicillin tablet will quicklyform a pharmaceutical solution which can be nebulized in the manneralready described. It will be understood, that depending upon the typeof treatment to be given, the user can alternately apply the nebulizedcloud of the drug to his respiratory tract and drain mucous from hisnasal cavities.

It thus will be seen that there is provided a nebulizer whichaccomplishes the several objects of the invention and is well adapted tomeet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it will be understood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent:

1.A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir,the bottom of said reservoir beneath said tube being flat andhorizontal, the opening in said lower ends having their mouths in planesoriented at an angle to said bottom, the other end of each pickup tubebeing disposed above the nozzle of the air blast tube and overlying theair blast orifice, said other ends of the pickup tube being disposed ondiametrically opposite sides of the blast tube and being oriented withtheir axes of how at acute angles to the direction of the air blast, theopenings in said other ends of the pickup tubes having their mouths inplanes at obtuse angles to the direction of the air blast, both ends ofsaid pickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, a mucous chamber, meansto connect said nebulizing chamber to said mucous chamber, a pair ofnose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber to said pair of nosepieces, an aspirator including an inner tube, a casing in which saidinner tube is disposed, means to connect said casing to said blast tube,said casing having a constricted throat which opens to the atmosphere,the discharge end of said inner tube,

being directed toward said throat, and means'to blow air into the otherend of said inner tube, whereby when air is blown through said innertube, if the throat atmospheric opening is blocked, the liquid in saidreservoir will be nebulized, and if said opening is unblocked a negativepressure will be maintained in said nose pieces.

- 2. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid tobe nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube having itlower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir, thebottom of said reservoir beneath said tubes being fiat and horizontal,the opening in said lower ends having their mouths in planes oriented atan angle to said bottom, the other end of each pickup tube beingdisposed above the nozzle of the air blast tube and overlying the airblast orifice, said other ends of the pickup tubes being disposed ondiametrically opposite sides of the blast tube and being oriented withtheir axes of fiow at acute angles to the direction of the air blast,the openings in said other ends of the pickup tubes having their mouthsin planes at obtuse angles to the direction of the air blast, both endsof said pickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, a mucous chamber,means to connect said nebulizing chamber to said mucous chamber, a pairof nose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber to said pair ofnose pieces, an aspirator including an inner tube, a casing in whichsaid inner tube is disposed, means to connect said casing to said blasttube, said casing having a constricted throat which opens to theatmosphere, the discharge end of said inner tube being directed towardsaid throat, and a squeeze bulb for blowing air into the other end ofsaid inner tube, whereby when air is blown through said inner tube, ifthe throat atmospheric opening is blocked, the liquid insaid reservoirwill be nebulized, and if said opening is unblocked a negative pressurewill be maintained in said nose pieces.

3. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blasttube insaid nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube having itslower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir, thebottom of said reservoir beneath said tubes being fiat and horizontal,the opening in said lower ends having their mouths in planes oriented atan angle to said bottom the other end of each pickup tube being disposedabove the nozzle of the airblast tube and overlying the air blastorifice, said other ends of the pickup tubes being disposed ondiametrically opposite sides of the blast tube and being oriented withtheir axes of flow at acute angles to the direction of the air blast,the openings in said other ends of the pickup tubes having their mouthsin planes at obtuse angles to the direction of the air blast, both endsof said pickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, a mucous chamber,means to connect said nebulizing chamber to said mucous chamber, a pairof nose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber to said pair ofnose pieces, as aspirator including an inner tube, a casing in whichsaid inner tube is disposed, means to connect said casing to said blasttube, said casing having a throat which opens to the atmosphere, thedischarge end of said inner tube being directed toward said throat, andmeans to blow air into the other end of said inner tube,

; whereby when air is blown through said inner tube, if the throatatmospheric opening is blocked, the liquid in said reservoir will benebulized, and if said opening is unblocked a negative pressure will bemaintained in said nose pieces.

4. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir,the bottom of said reservoir beneath said tubes being flat andhorizontal, the opening in said lower ends having their mouths in planesoriented at an angle to said bottom, the other end of each pickup tubebeing disposed above the nozzle ofthe air blast tube and overlying theair blast orifice, said other ends of the pickup tubes being disposed ondiametrically opposite sides of the blast tube and being oriented withtheir axes of flow at acute angles to the direction of the air blast,the openings in said other ends of the pickup tubes having their mouthsin planes at obtuse angles to the direction of the air blast, both endsof said pickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, a mucous chamber,means to connect said nebulizing chamber to said mucous chamber, a pairof nose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber to said pair ofnose pieces, and means to blow air through said blast tube.

5. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the. bottom of the nebulizing reservoir,the bottom of said reservoir beneath said tubes being fiat and,horizontal, the opening in said lower ends having their mouths in planesoriented at an angle to. said bottom, the other end of each pickup tubebeing disposed above the nozzle of the air blast. tube and overlying theair blast orifice, said other ends, of the pickup tubes being disposed.on diametrically opposite sides of the blast tube and being orientedwith their axes of flow at acute angles to the direction of. the airblast, the open,- ings in said other ends of the pickup tubes havingtheir mouths in planes at obtuse angles to the direction of the airblast, both ends. of said pickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, amucous chamber, means to connect said nebulizing chamber to said mucouschamber, a pair of nose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber tosaid, pair of nose pieces, and an aspirator having its suctionconnection communicating with said blast tube.

6. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluidto. be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and; connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said, nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir,the bottom of.

said reservoir beneath said tubes being flat: and horizontal, theopening in said lower ends hav.--- ing their mouths in planes orientedat an, angle to said bottom, the other end of each. pickup tube beingdisposed above the nozzle of the air blast. tube and overlying the airblast orifice-said other ends of the pickup tubes being disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the blast. tube and being oriented withtheir axes of flow at acute angles to thedirection of the air blast, theopenings in said other ends of. the pickup tubes having their mouthsplanes at obtuse angles to the direction; of. the air blast, both endsot saiefpickup tubes being of capillary dimensions, and means to blowair through said blast tube.

7. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the bottbm of the nebulizing reservoir,the bottom of said reservoir beneath said tubes being flat andhorizontal, the opening in said lower ends having their mouths inplanesoriented at an angle to said bottom, the other end of each pickup tubebeing disposed above the nozzle of the air blast tube and overlying theair blast orifice, the first mentioned end of each pickup tube being ofcapillarysize, and means to blow air through said blast tube.

8;. Anebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to: be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to, said reservoir, a .blast tubein said nebulizing, chamber, two pickup tubes, each pickup tube havingits lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir,the other end of each pickup tube being disposed above the nozzle of theair blast tube and overlying the air blast orifice, said other ends ofthe pickup tubes being disposed on diametrically opposite sides of theblast tube and being oriented with their axes of flow at acute angles tothe direction of the air blast, the openings in said other ends of thepickup tubes having their mouths inplanes at obtuse angles to thedirection of the air blast, said other ends being of capillary size, andmeans to blow air through said blast tube.

9. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid to be nebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, a pickup tube having an end thereof disposedadjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoin; the bottom of saidreservoir beneath said tube being flat and horizontal, the opening: in.said end having its mouth in a plane oriented at an. acute angle to saidbottom, the other end of said pickup tube being disposed above the.nozzle of the air blast tube, the first-mentioned. end of the tube beingof capillary size, and means to, blow air through the air blast tube.

10. Anebulizer comprising, a reservoir for fluid tobenebulized, anebulizing chamber above and connected to said reservoir, a blast tubein said nebulizing chamber, a pickup tube having an and disposedadjacent the bottom of the nebulizing reservoir andits other end in theair blast adapted toissue from theblast tube, a mucous chamber, meansto-conneet said nebulizing chamber to said mucous chamber, a pair ofnose pieces, means to connect said mucous chamber to said pair of nosepieces, an aspirator including an inner tube, a casinginwhich said innertube is disposedmeans to connect said casing to said blast tube, saidcasing, having a constricted throat which opens to; the atmosphere, thedischarge end of said inner; tube being directed toward said throat, andmeansztoblow air into th other end of said inner tube,,. whereby whenair is blown through said inner tube, if the throat atmospheric openingis blocked, the'liquid in said reservoir will be nebulized, andif saidopening is unblocked a negative pressure will be maintained in said nosepieces.

11. A nebulizer comprising a reservoir for fluid tobenebul'ized', anebulizing chamber above and connected tosaid reservoir, a blast tube insaid nebulizing'ch-amber, a pickup tube having an end REFERENCES CITEDThe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,266,228 Devilbiss May 14, 19182,253,143 Siegel Aug. 19, 1941

